The Foreign Extortion Prevention Act was introduced in the House of Representatives on August 2, 2019. Similar to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) the proposed bill will criminalize extortion by foreign officials and would allow the DOJ to indict those officials who demand or accept bribes in exchange for fulfilling, neglecting, or violating their official duties.
The legislation was developed with the support of the U.S. Helsinki Commission. Although the DOJ has long been able to indict corporations and their employees for foreign bribery, (FCPA) there is currently no U.S. law that allows for the prosecution of foreign officials who solicit those bribes. The Foreign Extortion Prevention Act will bring U.S. laws in line with international best practice. Countries including the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, and Switzerland have already criminalized foreign extortion.
Our law firm is dedicated to providing quality legal counsel for those being investigated or prosecuted for FCPA or bribery violations. Contact Hilder & Associates, P.C. to speak with one of our experienced FCPA attorneys.
